Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
  • B60G—VEHICLE SUSPENSION ARRANGEMENTS
  • B60G7/00—Pivoted suspension arms; Accessories thereof
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
  • B60G—VEHICLE SUSPENSION ARRANGEMENTS
  • B60G7/00—Pivoted suspension arms; Accessories thereof
  • B60G7/001—Suspension arms, e.g. constructional features
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
  • B60G—VEHICLE SUSPENSION ARRANGEMENTS
  • B60G2206/00—Indexing codes related to the manufacturing of suspensions: constructional features, the materials used, procedures or tools
  • B60G2206/01—Constructional features of suspension elements, e.g. arms, dampers, springs
  • B60G2206/10—Constructional features of arms
  • B60G2206/122—Constructional features of arms the arm having L-shape
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
  • B60G—VEHICLE SUSPENSION ARRANGEMENTS
  • B60G2206/00—Indexing codes related to the manufacturing of suspensions: constructional features, the materials used, procedures or tools
  • B60G2206/01—Constructional features of suspension elements, e.g. arms, dampers, springs
  • B60G2206/80—Manufacturing procedures
  • B60G2206/81—Shaping
  • B60G2206/8103—Shaping by folding or bending

Definitions

• Boomerang type suspension arm one rim of which has an extension in elevation, and corresponding vehicle.
• the field of the invention is that of motor vehicles. More specifically, the invention relates to suspension arms for motor vehicles.
• a suspension arm is a chassis member that connects a wheel support (front or rear) of a vehicle to the vehicle body or to a cradle fixed to the body.
• a suspension arm of this type can be defined by three characteristic points designated by the letters A, B, E.
• the points A (center of the front articulation) and B (center of the rear articulation) are the points of attachment of the arm on the cradle of the vehicle and E is the center of the patella that links the arm to a rotating part of the vehicle. These three points form the main plane of the arm, in which the forces coming from the wheel pass.
• Such a suspension arm has a rotational movement about the X axis (AB) and follows the vertical movements of the shock wheel to rebound.
• the boomerang single-arm suspension arms as currently proposed are flat-form arms stamped in their central part, with vertical flanged edges.
• the stampings of the arms are shallow and the area of the housing of the ball may be inclined relative to the main plane of the arm.
• the arm can also integrate additional functions, such as:
• the sections of the stampings have open U shapes more or less closed and generally rectangular shape. Another important consideration in the design of the suspension arms is its size and its movement, in particular according to the spatial distribution of the various organs that surround it.
• a suspension arm is particularly related to the architecture of the vehicle.
• the definition of the arm must therefore both satisfy a specification that combines the performance of the arm and the constraints of proximity to its environment (tire, anti-roll bar, steering rod, cradle, driver's passage ... ).
• the performance of the arm is appreciated in particular vis-à-vis its resistance to stresses it undergoes.
• the suspension arm comprises a main portion, placed substantially horizontally, and side portions curved downwardly relative to the non-transverse end portions of the main portion.
• end portions of the arm are bent from the lower end portions of the side portions to an inner side of the cross section.
• this arm adds that it is advantageous from the point of view of the protection of the end portions of the arm against rust, these end portions being oriented such that gravel projected from the before the vehicle can hit them, which may scratch the paint usually present in thin layer at the end parts.
• such an arm causes a "hook" effect vis-à-vis any objects present on the ground.
• the curved ends under the arm are likely to hang some objects above which the vehicle passes, such as for example branches, plastic bags or other detritus cumbersome roads.
• each edge of the arm is designed according to the same principle, the arm thus having a significant stiffness over its entire periphery, or almost. Also, such an arm does not allow any dissipation of stresses, which results in an almost complete transmission of forces to the body through the cradle supporting arms of this type.
• the invention particularly aims to overcome the disadvantages of the prior art.
• the invention aims to provide a suspension arm having a high resistance to stress, without causing hook effect as mentioned with reference to the prior art.
• the invention also aims to provide such a suspension arm which allows at least partly a dissipation of the stresses exerted on him.
• the invention also aims to provide such an arm which is simple in design, easy to implement and can be easily manufactured.
• a suspension arm for a wheel of a motor vehicle the type having a boomerang shape made from a plate whose one end, said support end of a rotating part, is intended to be coupled to a wheel, the other end, said front articulation, and the middle part of the arm, said rear articulation, being intended to be coupled to a cradle secured to the chassis of said vehicle, characterized in that at least the end flange extending between said support end of a rotating part and said rear articulation has an extension in elevation with respect to the face, so-called upper face, of said plate to be directed upwardly when said arm is mounted on said cradle.
• the arm is given rigidity on the edge of the arm subjected to high stresses, this avoiding a "hook” effect as mentioned above.
• the extension being provided in elevation, it removes, or at least significantly limits the risk that the arm hangs, or leads, more or less bulky objects on the ground.
• the invention therefore provides an opposite approach to conventional solutions of providing rigidity to the arm by folding the flange to the underside of the arm.
• the invention proposes a new design of suspension arm that allows to consider new types of organization of organs conventionally associated with a suspension arm.
• the flange extending between said front articulation and said rear articulation has a dropped edge.
• the edges of the arm can be made with distinct rigidities, allowing a relative dissipation of the stresses exerted on the arm and, consequently, an attenuation of the loads transmitted to the cradle and therefore to the chassis of the vehicle.
• said elevation extension has transversely a curved upper portion.
• said upper portion is preferably curved so that the free end of said extension is directed downwards towards said upper face.
• Such an edge said rolled contributes to further increase the rigidity of the corresponding rim.
• said elevation extension has transversely a continuous curvature.
• said elevation extension has transversely a substantially straight portion extending through a curved upper portion.
• the suspension arm has, in the vicinity of a flange extending between said front articulation and said support end, a wall in elevation with respect to said upper face.
• said elevation wall preferably extends to said median portion so that said front joint fits into said wall in elevation.
• said dropped edge and said elevated wall meet at the middle portion of said arm.
• the invention also relates to a motor vehicle equipped with a suspension arm of the type having a boomerang shape made from a plate whose one end, said support end of a rotating part, is intended to be coupled with a wheel, the other end, said front articulation, and the median part of the arm, said rear articulation being intended to be coupled to a cradle integral with the chassis of said vehicle, characterized in that at least the end rim extending between said support end of a rotating part and said rear articulation has an extension in elevation by referred to the face, said upper face, said plate to be directed upwardly when said arm is mounted on said frame.
• Figure 1 is a perspective view of a suspension arm according to a preferred embodiment of the invention
• Figure 2 is a view in a cross section of the suspension arm shown in Figure 1
• Figure 3 is a cross sectional view of a suspension arm according to a variant of the invention.
• a boomerang suspension arm is defined by all the characteristic points: the point A, the center of the front articulation of the arm; the point B, the center of the rear articulation of the arm, intended to be coupled to the vehicle's cradle by a pivoting connection, so that the arm can be driven in a rotational movement about an axis connecting the points A and B ; - point E, which links the arm to a rotating part of the vehicle.
• Such an arm is conventionally made from a single sheet metal plate shaped by stamping.
• the sheet will for example have a thickness of 4 mm.
• the principle of the invention lies in providing, from the edge connecting the points B and E, an extension in elevation with respect to the upper face 1 of the arm, that is to say say the face intended to be directed upwards when the arm is mounted on the vehicle.
• Figure 1 is shown substantially in its mounting position.
• Figure 2 provides a cross-sectional view of the arm shown in Figure 1.
• the flange 2 extending between the points B and E of the arm has an extension 21 in elevation relative to the upper face 1 of the arm.
• the flange extending between the points B and A of the arm has a fallen edge 3, that is to say an edge whose end is directed towards the face of the arm opposite to the upper face 1.
• the extension 21 has a curved upper portion 22, the curvature being in this case made so that the free end 23 of the extension is directed towards the upper face 1 of the arm. In this way, a so-called rolled edge is created.
• the extension 21 has a continuous curvature (possibly with an evolutionary radius of curvature).
• Figure 3 illustrates an alternative embodiment in which the extension 21 of the flange of the arm has a straight portion 211 extending through a curved upper portion.
• the rolled edge has the following characteristics: the two plies each have a radius of curvature of about
• the suspension arm present in the vicinity of the rim extending between the points A and E a wall 11 in elevation with respect to the upper face of the arm 1, this wall 11 is extending to the middle portion so that the center of the front articulation of the arm fits into this wall 11.
• the wall 11 and the falling edge 3 meet at point A of the arm.

Landscapes

• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Vehicle Body Suspensions (AREA)
• Axle Suspensions And Sidecars For Cycles (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (2)

Family

ID=35457358

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (6)

Families Citing this family (6)

Family Cites Families (3)

• 2005
  • 2005-06-09 FR FR0505888A patent/FR2886886B1/fr not_active Expired - Fee Related
• 2006
  • 2006-06-09 WO PCT/FR2006/050540 patent/WO2006131683A2/fr active Application Filing
  • 2006-06-09 CN CNA200680025098XA patent/CN101218113A/zh active Pending
  • 2006-06-09 EP EP06778918A patent/EP1893424B1/de active Active
  • 2006-06-09 RU RU2007149252/11A patent/RU2421346C2/ru active
  • 2006-06-09 KR KR1020087000590A patent/KR20080019698A/ko not_active Application Discontinuation

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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